Building construction



March 11, 1941. J, JACOBS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR seph Jacos fTTol b l s Marqh 11 194-1. N

J. D. JACOBS aunnme CONSTRUCTION Filed-Nov. 27, 1930 i Stats-Sheet 2- I INVENTOR Joseph 1),. Jacobs BY Y Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nmnmo CONSTRUCTION Joseph D. Jacobs, White Plains, N. Y. Application November 21, 1939, Serial No. 306,266

Claims.

This invention relates to a building construction. The invention contemplates the prefabrication of a wall or the walls of a building so that the walls and the frame therefor may be conveniently shipped and assembled into a complete structure.

The invention also contemplates the progressive erection of a wall or of walls and the progressive and simultaneous erection of a frame for the wall or walls.

Furthermore the invention contemplates the production of a wall construction which may be formed entirely of metal and wherein the wall elements may be made of relatively thin metal, and wherein the weight of each wall element may be borne by the frame so as to relieve the other wall elements of that weight.

The invention has for an additional object the production of a relatively thin wall element that is so constructed that it may be filled with insulating material which however will be isolated from the frame that supports the wall elements.

. With this and other objects in view which will appear as the description of the invention progresses, the invention includes the combination and arrangement of parts and of the steps of the method set forth in the claims that are appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a portion of the building construction partly in section and partly broken away to more clearly illustrate the various parts;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing a different relationship between the wall elements and the frame sections;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view partly broken away showing a modified form of a wall element;

Figures 5 and 6 are similar views showing still further modifications;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the construction;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of clamping the frame sections together and the wall element to the sections; and

Figure 9 is a modification thereof.

In the drawings I have shown wall tiers or elements that include upper andflower webs l and 2 respectively, and interior and exterior faces 3 and 4 respectively. This wall section is preferably made of a relatively light metal such, for

instance, as steel, and the upper and lower webs and the exterior facing may be made of a single piece of metal with the interior facing welded thereto, but this method of forming the wall element is not essential, as will be realized.

The lower web 2 of each wall section is provided with a groove 5 and a depending overlap 6. It is also provided with a downwardly extending flange 1. The upper web I of each wall element is provided with a longitudinal tongue 8 and both the upper and lower webs l and 2 are preferably provided with openings 9 which permit communication between the wall elements when they are in their superimposed positions, as will later be described. 15

I also provide a base on which the wall elements are to be superimposed, which may be of various forms, but which I have illustrated as including beams Ill and a facing II that carries a longitudinal grooved tongue similar to the 20 tongues 8 on the wall elements. With this con- "struction a wall element may be superimposed upon the base and when so superimposed the tongue l2 of the base will fit within the groove 5 of the wall element to form a weather seal, and 25 the wall element will be supported above the base in the same manner that the superimposed wall elements are supported above each other in the manner which will later be described.

The matter of assembling the wall includes the superimposing of wall elements on each other progressively.

In order that one wall element may be secured to the adjacent wall element, and that a frame for supporting a wall may be provided, the invention contemplates the use of a frame which includes a'plurality of sectional elements preferably tubular in form and metallic. Each of these fram sections includes a body portion IS on one end of which is a flange I4, which end carries a thread portion IS. The opposite end of the 'frame section carries a. flange l1 and a threaded element l8. Each of the frame sections is similarly formed.

In Figures 1 and 8 I have showneach frame v section as carrying a male thread at one end and a female thread at the other end, but it is of course to be understood that this arrangement may be changed as one set of sections may carry at their ends a male thread or a female thread and another set of sections the reverse.

In Figure 9 I have shown a modification of the frame sections wherein the flange I4 is dispensed with and the tubular body portion l3 extends throughout its length of substantially the same diameter.

Each of the wall elements carries one or more of the frame sections and these frame sections are so arranged in the wall elements that they will register with each other.

In assembling the wall element sections of the frame are first placed on the base, as shown in Figure 1, and secured thereto by means engaging the screw thread on the lower end of the sections. The wall element is then superimposed upon the base so that the frame sections I! pass upwardly through the openings IS in the lower web of the wall element, so that the threaded upper end l8 of the frame section l3 registers with an opening in the upper web of the wall element. In this position the wall element will be supported by the flanges I! on the upper ends of the frame sections l3 by reason of the fact that the distance between the upper face of each of the flanges l1 and the lower face of each of the lower flanges I4 is greater than the distance between the lower face of the upper web I and the lower face of the lower web 2. It will be realized that this distance may vary, but regardless of the variation the relation between the tongues .and grooves 8 and 8, between the wall sections and the tongues and grooves 5 and I2 and between the lowermost wall section and the base remains such that a weather seal is provided. This of course is accomplished by havingas snug a fitting as is possible without supporting the weight of one section on the other.

As the erection of the structure progresses additional frame sections II are engaged with the already placed frame sections, in the instance shown by screwthreaded engagement, and are tightly secured thereto. If the construction disclosed in Figure 8 is used, the upper web of the already placed wall section is clamped between the flange I! on the upper end of the first placed frame section and the flange H on the lower end of the uppermost frame section, or if the construction illustrated in Figure 9 is used, the clamping action is simply between the ends of the frame sections.

After the second set of frame sections has been put in place, so that they extend upwardly from the first wall element, a second wall element is dropped into place, the upper end of each of the exposed frame sections passing through the openings I 9 in the lower webs of. the superimposed wall element, and the coupling at the upper end of each of these frame sections registering with a corresponding opening in the upper web of the superimposed wall element. Progressively the wall may be erected in this manner.

It will be realized that the frame made up of the sections I3 is supported on the base and none of the wall elements carries the weight of any other because each is individuallysupported on the frame and each carries its own weight, there being sufficient space between the webs of adjacent wall elements to permit this and yet not suflicient to destroy the weather seal.

The wall elements are hollow as illustrated in the drawings, and they may either be prefilled with insulating material or may be filled as the building is erected, or even after it is erected, and therefore in order to isolate the insulating material from the frame sections and indeed to strengthen the wall elements adjacent their points of support by the frame sections, casements 2| are provided which may be welded or otherwise secured to the upper and lower webs of the wall elements and at any other points desired.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings I have illustrated a floor 2 which may be supported upon an extension of the web ll of the base as illustrated in Figure 2.

I have provided also corner pieces to join two walls together which are assembled in the manner hereinbefore described in connection with the wall elements and which are locked to the wall elements as at 23.

In Figure 3 of the drawings I have illustrated a modification of the manner of supporting the wall elements by the frame sections, and this varies from the already described construction in that the lower web 2 of each wall element is clamped between the adjacent ends of the frame sections I3, as indicated at 24. while the frame sections pass freely through the upper webs of these wall elements.

Figure 4 of the drawings illustrates a modification of the construction of the wall element wherein each exterior face of each element is given the configuration of a series of clapboards, as indicated at 25.

Figure 5 illustrates a second modification in which the wall elements are of a relatively short height, to produce the same effect as in Figure 4.

In Figure 6 an additional modification is shown in which both the interior and exterior surfaces of the wall elements are fiat.

In the construction shown in each of these two Figures 5 and 6 the frame sections I! may be made sufficiently long to pass through several wall sections. Thus one wall section may be supported by being clamped between the flanges of the frame sections [3 in the manner heretofore described, and several superimposed wall sections may be supported directly between these clamped wall sections without themselves being clamped to the frame sections. .The next succeeding wall section may again be clamped and this construction followed throughout the wall.

As I have stated, this entire structure may be made of metal and because of the configuration of the several parts their arrangement and their assembly, they may be made of relatively light material which is. of course eminently desirable in a preformed structure of this type which is to be shipped and assembled after manufacture.

What I claim is:

1. In a building construction, a plurality of superimposed hollow wall elements each having an upper web extending from the face thereof, vertical frame sections extending through said webs to carry the vertical load of the wall elements, means for securing the sections of the frame together and for clamping the webs between the sections of the frame to support the wall elements each independently of the other.

2. In a building construction, a vertical sectional frame, a plurality of wall elements each having a web extending from its face, and means engaging said webs to clamp the wall elements between the sections of the frame and to suspend each wall element independently of the others.

3. In a building construction, a vertical frame including a plurality of,sections each having a flange adjacent its upper end, and a plurality of wall elements each having a web extending from its face, the flanges on the frame sections engaging the webs and supporting the wall elements each independently of the other, and the frame carrying the vertical load of the wall sections.

4. In a building construction, a vertical frame consisting of a plurality of sections having flanges adjacent their ends, wall elements each having a web extending from the face thereof, and means for clamping the webs of said wall elements between said flanges to support the wall elements each independently of the others.

5. In a building construction, a frame including vertical sections, a plurality of superimposed wall elements each having a front and rear face and a web connecting the same, flanges on the frame sections, and means for clamping the webs between said flanges to support the wall elements each independently of the others. v

6. In a building construction, a vertical frame consisting of a plurality of sections having flanges adjacent their ends, "a plurality of wall elements each having front and rear faces and upper and lower webs, means for clamping the upper webs of the wall elements between the adjacent flanges of the frame sections, the lower webs of said wall elements having openings therein sufllciently large to permit the frame sections to pass freely therethrough.

7. In a building construction, a vertical frame consisting of a plurality of sections having flanges adjacent their ends, a plurality of wall elements each having frontand rear faces and upper and lower webs, means for clamping the upper webs of the wall elements between the adjacent flanges of the frame sections, the lower webs of said wall elements having openings therein sufliciently large to permit the frame sections to pass freely therethrough, and easements within said wall.

elements surrounding the frame sections therein.

8. In a building construction, a plurality of superimposed hollow wall elements each having a lower web extending from the face thereof, vertical frame sections extending through said webs to carry the vertical load of the wall elements, means for securing the sections of the frame together and for clamping the webs between the sections of the frame to support the wall elements each independently of the other.

9. In a building construction, a vertical frame consisting of a plurality of sections having flanges adjacent their ends, a pluralityof wallelements each having front and rear faces and upper and lower webs, means for clamping the lower webs of the wall elements between the adjacent flanges of the frame sections, the upper webs of said wall elements having openings therein sufficiently large to permit the frame sections to pass freely therethrough.

10. In a building construction, a vertical frame consisting of a plurality of sections having flanges adjacent their ends, a plurality of wall elements each having front and rear faces and upper and lower webs, means for cl'amplngthe lower webs of the wall elements between the adjacent flanges of the frame sections, the upper webs, of said wall elements. having openings therein sufficiently large; to permit the frame sections .to pass freely therethrough, and easements within said wall elements surrounding the frame sections therein.

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